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Max Stats
Increasing Stats Equipment which increases a stat (specifically, Strength, Magic, Spirit, and Speed) temporarily when equipped contributes a fractional, permanent bonus if it is equiped when a character gains a level. For example, when Steiner equips his sword Defender, his Spirit temporarily increases by three. If he levels up with Defender equipped, his permanent Spirit will increase more than it would have had he leveled up without that plus three bonus. The same goes for any hat, wristlet, amor or accessory equiped that boosts one of these stats. The increase will be fracitonal at each level-up, but can result in gains of many stat points over ninety-nine levels. Naturally, Atomos199's guide discusses stat maxing significantly and in detail sufficient to achieve any of several stat-related perfect game goals. For additional reference, GameFAQs user letao has contributed extensively to the understanding of maximizing stats in a FF9 file. He has a program which has determined the optimal possible equipment-leveling combinations for each character. He has made this program available to run through his website . Additionally, his guide on the subject of "perfect stats" details the mathematics, the philosophy, and the how-to of optimizing character growth in Final Fantasy IX. Complications and Interpretations However, there are multiple interpretations for what constitutes "perfect" stats in Final Fantasy IX. Different equipment combinations can maximize different stats, and (with some exceptions) stats will never reach their programmed maxima. The exceptions are three: all characters can bring Spirit to its hard cap of 50, Zidane's Speed can reach 50, and Eiko can reach some maxima if the player exploits the glitch whereby Marcus' levels-up increase her stats (although this glitch isn't possible to exploit in a E2PG due to time constraints). Because different combinations of high stats are possible, multiple goals are possible. Atomos199's guide accommodates pursuing several different goals by describing the different steps needed throughout the game by these different stat "paths." There are 5 core paths mentioned in Atomos199's guide. Path A, Path B, Path C, the Base Stats Path and the Level 1 Path. The arguments for why anyone should adopt any particular approach to max stats are many and nuanced, but they may be summarized as "ordered," "combined," and "base" approaches. Some players prioritize increasing a character's practical stats (e.g., Magic for Vivi) as high as possible, sacrificing some potential of the stats a character relies on less (e.g., Strength for Vivi). This is often called an "ordered stats" approach. Some players prioritize maximizing stat point gains overall, sacrificing a smaller number of points of combat-functional stats for higher all around growth. This is often called a "combined stats" approach. In either case, the question of whether one should figure temporary bonuses of gear worn at level 99 into their maximizing may further complicate the debate. Some players prioritize non-arbitrariness for "perfect" stat numbers by, for lack of an objective maximum, keep their stats at their natural, objective minima. This is a "base stats" approach. Importantly, there is no way to level up that leaves your characters ineffective in combat: effectively, the game is too easy for to let the gains and losses make much difference combat-wise. Factoring whether or not equipment is worn at level 99 creates the "ordered without final equipment" and "ordered with final equipment" and vice versa for combined stats approaches. In addition to the considerations within the goal of maximizing stat growth, maximizing stat growth for all characters is likely to conflict with maximizing other intuitive "perfect game" goals. For example, there is an optional boss called Tantarian and an accessory called Running Shoes. Running Shoes are available in limited quantity: there are only four in the game, and Tantarian drops one those. The best stat-boosting equipment is not available when Tantarian is available, so one cannot defeat Tantarian (necessarily gaining experience and levels) without some loss of potential stats compared to a file where all leveling was avoided until the best stat-boosting equipment was available. One cannot have the most stat growth and the most unique items possible at the same time. Even if Tantarian is avoided, EXP from Abadon in Pandemonium cannot be avoided in any way whatsoever, and so Zidane or Quina must absord the EXP and level up without their best stat-boosting equipment. And so there will ALWAYS be one character who suffers a loss on their "maximum" stat set, depending on the stat path chosen. One cannot pursue a perfect game without coming to some decision on these questions. Since such exclusive options are forced on the player by the game, choosing one option at the expense of another represents no failure of the player's. Since, to recall the recent example, a Perfect Maximized Stats and Items File is not possible, a Perfect Maximized Stats File is equally perfect with a Perfect Maximized Items File. In the end, as stated earlier, the small loss of stats (a few points) will not affect characters in battle at level 99, and so the characters will be practically invincible anyway. With 50 Spirit, auto-regen heals at a ridiculous rate, healing 100's of HP every few seconds. However, since this is a perfect game and all small details must be accounted for, this is a very important decision to make.